Fantasy Football: Top waiver targets and your first look at Chris Towers' Week 3 rankings

It's kind of concerning that Derrick Henry has averaged just 3.1 yards per carry in three games since coming back from his broken foot during last year's playoffs, right? The Bills look like the best defense in the league, so Henry has better days ahead, but in my Week 3 RB rankings piece, I wrote about why Henry's start is so concerning. I'm not saying you should just try to trade him for anything, but I'm concerned about his chances of returning value on that first-round pick you invested in him, for sure.

Monday was pretty concerning for Dalvin Cook, too, though I don't necessarily have the same amount of concern as with Henry. Or, rather, I have very different concerns -- Cook's historic inability to stay healthy is a bigger concern than that he struggled against what looks like it could be a very good Eagles defense. I could see things going south for both of those would-be elite backs, but I'm not giving up on either.

That's how you should be thinking about even your most worrisome early-round picks right now -- concerned, but not panicked. It's too early to do something drastic, but you shouldn't be ignoring evidence, either. Starting 0-2 isn't the end of the world in Fantasy, where having the best record in the regular season doesn't earn you home field advantage or anything -- remember, you're just trying to get into the playoffs with a puncher's chance.

The FFT team will, of course, be here to help. Make sure you tune in to Fantasy Football Today on CBS Sports HQ at noon ET today as we talk about the latest injuries and storylines, and for help locking in your waiver-wire claims make sure you tune into the FFT YouTube stream tonight at 8 p.m., where we'll be taking your questions live for an hour. And, if you want to take one last look back at Week 2 before you move ahead, check out my Week 2 Winners and Losers column here, where I break down every game, including Monday's doubleheader featuring the Bills and Eagles blowing out the Titans and Vikings, respectively.

Tomorrow, we'll have Heath Cummings' previews for each position plus some trade talk coming out of Week 2 -- email your trade questions to Chris.Towers@ViacomCBS.com to be included. And here's what else we've got on tap in today's newsletter:

➕Top Week 3 Waiver Wire Targets
📈Week 3 Rankings📉

➕Top Week 3 Waiver Wire Targets

Sep 13, 2020; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Nyheim Hines (21) runs the ball in for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field. Douglas DeFelice / USA TODAY Sports

I tried to tell you all to draft a QB early enough that you didn't get stuck with one of the also-rans at the position, and if you find yourself looking to the waiver wire this week to replace Dak Prescott or Trey Lance, you can understand why. Jamey Eisenberg's top target in his Week 3 waiver-wire column is Commanders QB Carson Wentz, and while there are reasons to like what Wentz has done so far, I think that mostly reflects the poor state of the rest of the options on waivers. You can check out Jamey's Waiver Wire column here INSERT LINK HERE for the rest of his picks at each position, but here's a quick look at how he's ranking the top options:

Jamey Eisenberg's top targets

Carson Wentz, QB, Commanders (68%) -- I'm still wary of trusting Wentz, but he's got great weapons and has dropped back to pass 98 times in two games, so it's hard to make a case against him as a borderline top-12 QB. The defensive performance the Eagles just put up against the Vikings Monday night is certainly scary, though.
Garrett Wilson, WR, Jets (53%) -- Wilson had over 100 yards and two touchdowns Sunday and could have been even better -- he was downed at the 2 on one catch and had two other targets in the end zone he couldn't reel in. He's been getting open constantly and looks like a potentially special player. I'm a huge fan.
Curtis Samuel, WR, Commanders (59%) -- I'm also a huge fan of Samuel, whose Week 2 performance showed his opener was no fluke. He's going to get schemed-up touches -- his touchdown in Week 2 saw him come out of the backfield as a receiver -- and he leads the Commanders in targets by eight.
Logan Thomas, TE, Commanders (41%) -- I'm not sure I see much in Thomas' profile to be excited about, but he's been pretty involved in the offense so far and has seen some downfield targets. Such are the meager joys at tight end that he could realistically be called a top-12 option.
Darrel Williams, RB, Cardinals (34%) -- Williams split snaps and carries with Eno Benjamin pretty evenly after James Conner's ankle injury, but he did get the first crack at a goal-line carry. In this offense, that's huge. I have Benjamin ranked higher if Conner is out based on the potential for receiving work, but Williams' chances of scoring make him a fine start as well.

One (more) target for each position

QB: Marcus Mariota, Falcons (25%) -- You know what would help Mariota? Getting Kyle Pitts more involved. Mariota has been fine so far, and his rushing potential is going to continue to make him an intriguing streamer.
RB: Raheem Mostert, Dolphins (58%) -- Mostert took on a larger role in Miami's Week 2 win, leading the team in carries and playing a pretty equal role to Chase Edmonds in the passing game. I think I still prefer Edmonds for Week 3, but both could have a role if you're desperate for a starter.
WR: Chris Olave, Saints (76%) -- Olave was Jameis Winston's go-to deep ball target in Week 2, amassing over 300 air yards on his targets, a simply massive number. Olave didn't hit on enough of those deep balls, but he was close to having a massive game rather than a merely good one, and if he continues to see those looks, there's going to be massive upside here every week.
TE: Isaiah Likely, Ravens (21%) -- Likely is basically the No. 3 option in this passing game, and that's turned into nine targets through two games -- not a massive number, but pretty good for his first two games. His role should only continue to grow as a de facto slot receiver, and there's big upside even if Mark Andrews is healthy.

📈Week 3 Rankings📉

Here are my initial rankings for Week 3, but you should check out my thoughts on more than 80 players for Week 3 at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end, and those will be updated throughout the week. These are all for PPR leagues:

Quarterbacks

Tua Tagovailoa might not be a great QB in his own right, but he might be a great Fantasy QB. I wrote about Tagovailoa and the rest of the QB position for Week 3 here.

Josh Allen @MIA
Patrick Mahomes @IND
Justin Herbert vs. JAX
Lamar Jackson @NE
Jalen Hurts @WAS
Kyler Murray vs. LAR
Joe Burrow @NYJ
Matthew Stafford @ARI
Derek Carr @TEN
Aaron Rodgers @TB
Carson Wentz vs. PHI
Russell Wilson vs. SF
Tua Tagovailoa vs. BUF
Trevor Lawrence @LAC
Kirk Cousins vs. DET
Tom Brady vs. GB
Jameis Winston @CAR
Justin Fields vs. HOU
Jared Goff @MIN
Marcus Mariota @SEA
Baker Mayfield vs. NO
Daniel Jones vs. DAL
Jimmy Garoppolo @DEN
Joe Flacco vs. CIN
Mac Jones vs. BAL
Mitchell Trubisky @CLE
Ryan Tannehill vs. LV
Cooper Rush @NYG
Matt Ryan vs. KC
Jacoby Brissett vs. PIT
Geno Smith vs. ATL
Davis Mills @CHI

Running backs

I wrote more about Henry's struggles in my RB rankings piece. Check that out and see my thoughts on the rest of the RB position for Week 3 here.

Christian McCaffrey vs. NO
Jonathan Taylor vs. KC
Saquon Barkley vs. DAL
Austin Ekeler vs. JAX
Leonard Fournette vs. GB
Joe Mixon @NYJ
Dalvin Cook vs. DET
Najee Harris @CLE
Aaron Jones @TB
D'Andre Swift @MIN
Derrick Henry vs. LV
Javonte Williams vs. SF
David Montgomery vs. HOU
Nick Chubb vs. PIT
Antonio Gibson vs. PHI
Alvin Kamara @CAR
Josh Jacobs @TEN
AJ Dillon @TB
Cordarrelle Patterson @SEA
Miles Sanders @WAS
Darrell Henderson @ARI
Ezekiel Elliott @NYG
Eno Benjamin vs. LAR
Jeff Wilson @DEN
James Robinson @LAC
Kareem Hunt vs. PIT
Damien Harris vs. BAL
Clyde Edwards-Helaire @IND
Nyheim Hines vs. KC
Rhamondre Stevenson vs. BAL
Michael Carter vs. CIN
J.D. McKissic vs. PHI
Dameon Pierce @CHI
Chase Edmonds vs. BUF
Breece Hall vs. CIN
Cam Akers @ARI
Tony Pollard @NYG
Devin Singletary @MIA
Travis Etienne @LAC
Jamaal Williams @MIN
Raheem Mostert vs. BUF
Zack Moss @MIA
Melvin Gordon vs. SF
J.K. Dobbins @NE
Rashaad Penny vs. ATL
Tyler Allgeier @SEA
Sony Michel vs. JAX
Alexander Mattison vs. DET
Kenneth Walker vs. ATL
Kenneth Gainwell @WAS
Mark Ingram @CAR
Jordan Mason @DEN
Rex Burkhead @CHI
Kenyan Drake @NE
Khalil Herbert vs. HOU
Ameer Abdullah @TEN
Rachaad White vs. GB
Samaje Perine @NYJ
Isaiah Pacheco @IND
Hassan Haskins vs. LV

Wide receivers

I was skeptical any of the Packers or Chiefs wide receivers would be must-start options despite the available opportunities, and nothing I've seen through two weeks changed that. For more of my thoughts on those two spots and a few other teams with "available opportunity" for Week 3, head here.

Cooper Kupp @ARI
Justin Jefferson vs. DET
Davante Adams @TEN
Ja'Marr Chase @NYJ
Stefon Diggs @MIA
Deebo Samuel @DEN
Amon-Ra St. Brown @MIN
Tyreek Hill vs. BUF
Tee Higgins @NYJ
A.J. Brown @WAS
Jaylen Waddle vs. BUF
Brandin Cooks @CHI
Mike Williams vs. JAX
Michael Thomas @CAR
Marquise Brown vs. LAR
D.J. Moore vs. NO
Diontae Johnson @CLE
Courtland Sutton vs. SF
CeeDee Lamb @NYG
Christian Kirk @LAC
Rashod Bateman @NE
Curtis Samuel vs. PHI
JuJu Smith-Schuster @IND
Terry McLaurin vs. PHI
Allen Robinson @ARI
D.K. Metcalf vs. ATL
Drake London @SEA
Tyler Lockett vs. ATL
Garrett Wilson vs. CIN
Elijah Moore vs. CIN
Amari Cooper vs. PIT
Adam Thielen vs. DET
Russell Gage vs. GB
Brandon Aiyuk @DEN
Gabe Davis @MIA
Darnell Mooney vs. HOU
Hunter Renfrow @TEN
Josh Palmer vs. JAX
Treylon Burks vs. LV
Chris Olave @CAR
Sterling Shepard vs. DAL
Jakobi Meyers vs. BAL
Tyler Boyd @NYJ
Robert Woods vs. LV
DeVonta Smith @WAS
Allen Lazard @TB
Chase Claypool @CLE
Greg Dortch vs. LAR
Corey Davis vs. CIN
Jarvis Landry @CAR
Jahan Dotson vs. PHI
Zay Jones @LAC
DJ Chark @MIN
Robby Anderson vs. NO
A.J. Green vs. LAR
Nico Collins @CHI
Donovan Peoples-Jones vs. PIT
Kyle Phillips vs. LV
DeVante Parker vs. BAL
K.J. Osborn vs. DET

Tight ends

I'm feeling pretty good about Zach Ertz, Pat Freiermuth, Tyler Higbee, and Gerald Everett after two weeks, but that still only makes 10 guys projected for double-digit PPR points in Week 3 ... For more at tight end, head here.